Title
Dept/ Agency: Economic and Housing Development
Action: (X) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Acceptance of Grant Funds
Purpose: New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (NJDCA) Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) funding will be used to help address safety needs of the Lincoln Park community, help reduce crime and provide community residents with recreational activities.
Entity Name: New Jersey Department of Community Affairs-Neighborhood Preservation Program
Entity Address: 101 South Broad Street, Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Grant Amount: $125,000.00
Total Project Cost: $887,569.00
City Contribution: $25,000.00 In-Kind Services
Other Funding Source/Amount: Prudential Foundation, Verizon, Horizon, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs-NRTC Program, Titos, United/$762,569.00
Grant Period: October 12, 2021 through January 27, 2023
Contract Basis: ( ) Bid ( ) State Vendor ( ) Prof. Ser. ( ) EUS
( ) Fair & Open ( ) No Reportable Contributions ( ) RFP ( ) RFQ
( ) Private Sale (X ) Grant ( ) Sub-recipient ( ) n/a
List of Property: (if applicable)
(Address/Block/Lot/Ward/Site Known As)
Lincoln Park Preservation District/Central and East Wards
Additional Information:
The Grant Funds will be allocated for: 1) the purchase, distribution and installation of security cameras to homeowners and small business owners to help prevent robberies and assaults; 2) Alley enhancements and activations that include lighting, seating, tables and performance spaces to reduce the presence of drug sales and substance abuse; and 3) neighborhood beautification, greening, signage, street murals, wayfinding and information kiosk near the 6-acre park to expand Lincoln Park’s branding.
Shared Services Agreement between the City of Newark and Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD), signed by Eric S. Pennington, Business Administrator, dated August 18, 2021.
Letter of Approval signed by Mayor Ras J. Baraka, dated August 10, 2021.
Notice of Interest (NOI) signed by Eric S. Pennington, Business Administrator, dated July 8, 2021.
Copy of the City’s Grant Application to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (NJDCA).
New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Conditional (NJDCA) Approval Letter signed by Jeff Buehler, NJDCA Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) Administrator.
Approved NJDCA Application for Grant Funding submitted by the City of Newark on behalf of LPCCD.
Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) Official Designation Letter from NJDCA signed by Lieutenant Governor, Sheila Oliver, dated September 22, 2021.
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WHEREAS, the State of New Jersey has instituted the Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP), administered through the New Jersey Department of Community Affair's (NJDCA), which provides financial support and technical assistance to municipalities and their affiliates to encourage and promote the social and economic strengthening and development of neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, on July 8, 2021, a Notice of Interest was signed and approved by the City of Newark’s Business Administrator, Eric S. Pennington, confirming the City of Newark's interest in applying for designation of the Lincoln Park neighborhood by the NJDCA as required under the Neighborhood Preservation Program; and
WHEREAS, on August 10, 2021 a Letter of Support was signed and approved by Mayor Ras. J. Baraka confirming the City of Newark's interest in applying for NPP grant funding designated for the Lincoln Park neighborhood within the City of Newark; and
WHEREAS, on August 18, 2021 a Shared Services Agreement between the City of Newark and the Lincoln Park Cultural Coast District (LPCCD) was signed and approved by the City of Newark’s Business Administrator, Eric S. Pennington, the City’s Economic and Housing Development (EHD) Deputy Mayor/Director, Allison Ladd and LPCCD Executive Director, Anthony Smith, to perform in-kind professional services worth no less than Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($25,000.00), in connection with the NPP Grant Application; and
WHEREAS, on August 18, 2021, the NPP Grant Funding Application was submitted to NJDCA on behalf of the City’s Department of Economic and Housing Development (EHD) and the Lincoln Park Cultural Coast District (LPCCD), pursuant to the aforementioned Shared Services Agreement between the City’s Department of Economic and Housing Development (EHD) and Lincoln Park Cultural Coast District (LPCCD); and
WHEREAS, on September 22, 2021, a New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (NJDCA) Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) Designation Letter was signed and approved by NJDCA Commissioner and New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver confirming approval of the aforementioned NPP Application and the official NPP designation of the Lincoln Park Neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, on September 29, 2021, a Conditional Letter of Approval was signed by NJDCA NPP Administrator, Jef Buehler confirming the approval of One Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($125,000.00), in NPP Grant funding contingent upon the approval of acceptance of grant funds by the Municipal Council; and
WHEREAS, the Lincoln Park Neighborhood (LPN) is appropriate for NPP funding for several reasons:
1) LPN is the sole remaining undeveloped downtown neighborhood in the City of Newark. Due to the lack of investment and growing interest by for-profit developers, the neighborhood and residents face significant challenges of housing insecurity, crime, poverty, unemployment, substance abuse and low education; and
2) Growing inter-generational Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) population representing more than 90% of the residents is contributing to unprecedented demand for services to meet the complex human services and community needs; and
3) An activated and highly engaged resident advocacy group is driving neighborhood transformation to a healthy, safe and vibrant neighborhood; and,
4) Part of the neighborhood is a historic district listed on the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places, making it deserving of preservation for generations to come; and
WHEREAS, funding will be used to help address safety needs of the Lincoln Park community, help reduce crime and provide community residents with recreational activities; and
WHEREAS, Grant funds will be allocated for:
1) The purchase, distribution and installation of security cameras to homeowners and small business owners to help prevent robberies and assaults; and
2) Alley enhancements and activations that include lighting, seating, tables and performance spaces to reduce the presence of drug sales and substance abuse; and
3) Neighborhood beautification, greening, signage, street murals, wayfinding and information kiosk near the six (6) acre park to expand Lincoln Parks branding; and
WHEREAS, implementation Services for the NPP Grant pursuant to the approved Shared Services Agreement between the City of Newark and Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD) are outlined below:
1) Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District will work with the City of Newark to develop and implement a five (5) year Strategic Action Plan that focuses on community revitalization in the Lincoln Park Preservation District;
2) Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District will conduct Phase 1 activities with the City including: establishment of the NPP office, engagement of local residents, conduct neighborhood assessments, and development of the five (5) year work plan to be completed by January 27, 2023;
3) Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District will conduct Phase 2 activities including: implementation of prioritized year 1 projects and programming that are identified in the five (5) year action plan;
4) Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District will provide documentation to the City of Newark to support the submission of any required NPP/Department of Community Affairs reports as per the grant agreement;
5) Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District shall meet with staff of the City of Newark, including the Department of Economic and Housing Development, Department of Engineering, Department of Public Works and Department of Public Safety to provide regular updates on projects and programming.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THAT:
1) The actions taken by the City on behalf of the Lincoln Park Cultural Coast District (LPCCD) in applying for Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) designation for the Lincoln Park Neighborhood; applying for NPP Grant funding for the LPN and pledging to provide Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($25,000.00) in in-kind services as the City’s contribution in support of the designation and grant funding application are hereby ratified.
2) The Mayor of the City of Newark and/or his designee, the Deputy Mayor/Director of the Newark Department of Economic and Housing Development (EHD) and the Executive Director of the Lincoln Park Cultural Coast District (LPCCD) are hereby authorized to receive One Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($125,000.00) in grant funding from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (NJDCA) Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) with Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($25,000.00) in-kind City services required.
3) Per the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ (NJDCA) official NPP designation of the Lincoln Park neighborhood, the One Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($125,000.00) grant is hereby accepted.
4) The Mayor of the City of Newark and/or his designee, the Deputy Mayor/Director of the Department of Economic and Housing Development, are hereby authorized to enter into and execute grant documents with the Lincoln Park Cultural Coast District (LPCCD) to receive and expend the grant award for the proposed neighborhood improvements.
5) The Mayor of the City of Newark and/or his designee, the Deputy Mayor/Director of the Department of Economic and Housing Development shall file a fully-executed copy of the Grant Application, Grant Award Letter and Grant Agreement in the Office of the City Clerk.
STATEMENT
This Resolution requests that the aforementioned actions taken by the City of Newark, the Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD) and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs NJDCA) Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) ratified by the City of Newark Municipal Council for the approval and receipt of $125,000.00 in grant funding pursuant to the signed Shared Service Agreement between the City of Newark and LPCCD.